Snow Blind
by Davner
Summary: Aeka and Tenchi finally come together.


Tenchi belongs to AIC and Pioneer.  
  
Another lost fic.  
  
Snow Blind  
  
  
  
Tenchi looked out the window at the snow falling outside and smiled. It was odd. Not odd that it was snowing, of course. It was November, and it snowed every year at this time. No, what was odd was the fact that he *was* smiling. Watching the snow used to make him depressed. He often related the death of his mother with the falling of snow. It had been snowing when his father had told him about his mother.  
  
He used to hate it.  
  
But now, looking outside his bedroom window and watching Sasami play in it, he had a new appreciation for it. He could see Sasami packing snow on the outside of Kamidake's trunk, building the first ever "snow guardian."  
  
Mihoshi and Kiyone were busy shoveling the front walk. He could hear Kiyone's irate voice from the second story. From the sound of the argument, it seemed that Mihoshi was digging up snow, then depositing it someplace where Kiyone had just cleared. He had to smile at the thought.  
  
He had no idea where Ryoko and Aeka were, but he was sure he'd find out in a moment. He found Ryoko sooner than he thought he would. She suddenly appeared above Sasami's head and dumped a bucket of snowballs on her. Sasami giggled and fired back with her own snowball. Tenchi watched as Ryoko looped and dived to avoid them. Tenchi laughed and stepped away from the window. He wanted to go check on his daughter and see about getting some lunch.  
  
Katsuhito Masaki's keen ears heard footsteps approaching from the stairs and smiled. He burped the young baby in his arms and turned to the woman standing with him in the living room.  
  
"Aeka, would you hold Mayuka for me while I look in on lunch for Sasami?"  
  
Aeka blinked. "Well, yes of course."  
  
Katsuhito deposited the infant in Aeka's arms. The Princess of Jurai made sure she was holding her right and began to rock her back and forth. Katsuhito smiled.  
  
"Thank you, Aeka, I'll be right back."  
  
Just then, Mayuka started to cry.  
  
"Um...Brother?"  
  
"I'll be back in a few moments," Katsuhito assured her, making for the kitchen.  
  
"Yes, but she appears to be upset."  
  
"Well....do something," Katsuhito called over his shoulder.  
  
"Like what?!" Aeka cried, unsure of what to do.  
  
Katsuhito merely shrugged and walked into the kitchen. Aeka sighed while Mayuka bawled. She wasn't quite sure what she could do. Usually, it was Tenchi and Sasami that took care of Mayuka. Even Ryoko seemed closer to the infant. Aeka took her turn just like everyone else, but she had to admit that this little girl intimidated her. After her experience with taking care of little Taroo, she had learned that taking care of a baby was an awesome responsibility.  
  
And she really had no idea how to handle it.  
  
"Shhhhh," she cooed, rocking Mayuka back and forth. Mayuka was not impressed and continued to cry. "Well, you're not wet," Aeka said, checking that possibility. "And you just ate. What do you want, little princess?" Aeka asked quietly.  
  
Aeka racked her brain for an answer. What would Mother do? she asked herself. No, that won't work, Mayuka's ribs would never handle it, she replied to herself, picturing the Queen of Jurai crushing the little infant in a bear hug.  
  
Well, I have to do *something*. I can't let her scream forever.  
  
A thought struck her as she remembered something else her mother did when Sasami was a baby. It was worth a shot.  
  
She leaned over and made sure that her brother was out of earshot, then began to rock Mayuka again. Softly, she began to sing.  
  
"When Tsunami's light shines  
  
Down upon Jurai,  
  
And softly  
  
Sings the queen,  
  
While the Emp'ror's wars rage,  
  
greatly out in space,  
  
And the world cries  
  
Out in pain,  
  
And when the starlight shines down,  
  
upon a gilded crib,  
  
It is the light,  
  
Of destiny,  
  
It's Jurai's princess."  
  
As she continued to sing the old Jurain folk song, she turned, rocking Mayuka. She sung as she looked up and saw Tenchi there.  
  
"Ack!" she cried out in surprise. "Lord Tenchi!"  
  
Tenchi smiled. "That was beautiful, Aeka. And I think it did the trick." He pointed to Mayuka.  
  
Aeka blinked and looked down. Mayuka was sound asleep. "Um...Yes, I suppose it did," she said sheepishly, blushing a deep crimson.  
  
"What song is that?" Tenchi asked. "I've never heard it before."  
  
"It's a very old song my mother sang to Sasami and I when we were Mayuka's age," she whispered, careful not to disturb the baby now that she was finally asleep.  
  
She and Tenchi were quiet for a long moment, then Tenchi whispered, "Would you like me to take her?"  
  
Aeka looked down at Mayuka, then back at Tenchi and replied softly, "That's okay, Tenchi. I have her."  
  
Tenchi smiled and walked to the kitchen. Aeka smiled after him and looked down at the daughter of the man she loved. She smiled again and began to whisper,  
  
"When Tsunami's light shines,  
  
Down upon Jurai..."  
  
  
  
"Hello, Grandpa."  
  
Lord Katsuhito took a sip of the hot soup resting on the stove and savored the taste. "Sasami's best so far," he remarked. He turned to Tenchi. "I see you've come down just in time for lunch, Tenchi."  
  
Tenchi laughed nervously. "Yeah, well, Sasami's cooking is always a draw, you know."  
  
Katsuhito smiled. "I hear that Mayuka's stopped crying. I guess Aeka is better at this than she thought."  
  
Tenchi blinked. "What do you mean, Grandpa?"  
  
Katsuhito turned to him. "Tenchi," he began quietly, "Don't tell Aeka this, but I've always thought she's felt rather...threatened...by Mayuka."  
  
"Threatened? How?"  
  
Katsuhitos's smile was a little tired by now. "She's never felt comfortable around babies. When she was little, my Aunt was *very* protective of Sasami. She tended to her herself, not trusting a nanny to take care of her. She didn't even trust Father or myself...or Aeka." Tenchi nodded as he began to realize what his grandfather was telling him. "Aeka wanted to help. She loved her little sister, after all, but Aunt Misaki was too frightened to let such a small girl try to take care of a baby. I suppose Aeka started to feel that she really would do more harm than good to her."  
  
"I see. But she seems to be doing fine now."  
  
Katsuhito smiled. "She cares for Mayuka a great deal, and it would kill her if she thought you knew she wasn't confident in herself to take care of her for you."  
  
Tenchi smiled. "She won't hear it from me, Grandpa."  
  
Katsuhito nodded. "Good. Now then, the soup's ready. Why don't you call the oth..."  
  
Before he could finish, there was some shouting from outside.  
  
"No, Mihoshi! Not that way! The othe....ACK!"  
  
*CLONG!!!*  
  
"KIYONE!"  
  
Tenchi and Katsuhito ran outside to find Mihoshi standing over Kiyone's unmoving body, a snow shovel gripped in her hands. Kiyone was lying on the ground, a trickle of blood seeping from the back of her head, matting her teal hair. Ryoko and Sasami appeared a moment later, staring in shock.  
  
Mihoshi looked down at Kiyone, then the shovel. She dropped the shovel, her hands flying to the sides of her head in horror. The shovel struck Kiyone's head with another *CLONG!*  
  
"OH MY GOD! I'VE KILLED HER!"  
  
Katsuhito rushed to Kiyone's side and checked her pulse. Looking over the wound, he nodded sagely. "She's out cold. Tenchi, help me bring her into the house. This wound needs to be cleaned."  
  
As the group rushed Kiyone inside, Aeka met them at the door, Mayuka still in her arms.  
  
"What happened?!" she asked.  
  
"Mihoshi killed Kiyone," Ryoko said, her voice sinisterly deadpan.  
  
Mihoshi's hands flew to her open mouth, tears welled up in her eyes.  
  
"No she didn't!" Tenchi said in annoyance. "She's just out cold. Ryoko, stop teasing her!"  
  
Katsuhito, meanwhile, was applying a damp cloth to Kiyone's head. "She'll be all right," he told them. "She just needs some rest. Tenchi, help me get her upstairs to her room."  
  
Tenchi nodded and helped his grandfather carry the GP detective up the stairs. Sasami looked at the clock and gasped. "I have to start on dinner!"  
  
"Dinner?" Ryoko asked. "We haven't even had lunch yet."  
  
"I know! But I'm making a special recipe I found in Tenchi's grandmother's old cookbooks!" With that, she ran into the kitchen to start dinner.  
  
Ryoko saw Mayuka in Aeka's arms and smiled, holding out her hands. "Here, Aeka, I'll take her now." She smiled and cooed at Mayuka. "Come to mommy, sweetheart."  
  
Aeka blinked and stood her ground. "What did you say?"  
  
Ryoko blinked back. "What?"  
  
"Since when are you Mayuka's mother?" Aeka asked.  
  
"Well, come on, Aeka," Ryoko said, taking Mayuka from the princess. "It's obvious who the baby's more comfortable with." She made a funny face at Mayuka, who giggled in response.  
  
Aeka fumed. "Well I laugh at your ugly face too! That doesn't mean I enjoy your company!" With that, she turned on her heel and marched out. Ryoko and Mihoshi blinked at her retreating back in shock.  
  
"I wonder what's got her so riled up," Ryoko mused.  
  
"Imagine the nerve of her!" Aeka fumed, standing in the kitchen while Sasami ran back and forth between three different kitchen counters while she cooked. "How can *she* call herself Mayuka's mother!?"  
  
Sasami didn't pause as she answered. "Well, come on, Aeka. It does seem that she's closer to Mayuka than the rest of us...well...except for Tenchi, of course."  
  
Aeka sighed. "I know...but it's as if I'm not even given a chance to get closer to her. Everyone seems to just assume that she's..."  
  
This time, Sasami paused. "What?"  
  
Aeka stared at the ground. "That she's Tenchi and Ryoko's child alone..."  
  
Sasami smiled. "That's not true, Aeka. We *all* take care of Mayuka. We're her family!"  
  
Aeka sighed again. "I know, Sasami. It just seems...It just seems that some are more family than others."  
  
Sasami had returned to cooking. She sighed at Aeka's last comment. She loved her sister dearly, but she couldn't have picked a more inconvenient time for her to come spill her heart. "What do you mean by that?" she asked, not wanting to make her sister feel worse.  
  
"Well, it just seems that Ryoko was automatically relegated to the position of mother. Washu is her grandmother. You're her sister. Mihoshi and Kiyone would be the fun aunts. What does that make me?"  
  
Sasami turned to her. "Mayuka's second mother, of course. Just like Aunty Funaho!"  
  
Aeka sighed. "I suppose..."  
  
Sasami stared at her for a moment. "You want to be more, though, don't you?"  
  
Aeka lowered her head and nodded.  
  
Sasami reached out absently for another carrot and blinked in shock when she found there were no more. "Uh oh," she said quickly. "Aeka, can you help me?"  
  
"Sure Sasami," Aeka said woodenly.  
  
Sasami took Aeka's hand and guided it to a spoon that was immersed in the sauce Sasami was cooking. "Keep stirring this until I get back. I need to get some more carrots."  
  
"Okay, Sasami," Aeka said again.  
  
Sasami paused. "Remember, keep stirring. If you don't, the sauce will burn. Then it's ruined."  
  
"I will, Sasami," Aeka said again, slightly annoyed.  
  
Sasami nodded and ran out of the kitchen.  
  
Aeka stirred the sauce as she thought about her situation. She wanted to be a part of Mayuka's life, a part of Tenchi's, but it seemed that as time passed, he was growing closer and closer to Ryoko through Mayuka. True, they had both gone into Yuzuha's dark dimension after her. They had both fought to get both her and Sasami back.  
  
She paused, deep in thought.  
  
Ryoko was behaving as if she really were Mayuka's mother. She was always the first to volunteer for any task concerning her. There was a real bond between the two of them.  
  
Why couldn't she have a bond like that?  
  
It wasn't as if she was shying away from work, though she was sure that's what it looked like. She loved Mayuka, but she felt so clumsy around her. Taroo had provided both she and Ryoko with some much needed practice, but even then Aeka couldn't seem to do anything right with the baby. Now, it was Mayuka, a child she genuinely loved, and she had no idea of what to do when she was around her.  
  
A sizzling sound began to emanate from the pan, but she didn't notice, lost in her own thoughts.  
  
She was proud of herself this morning. For the first time, Mayuka had responded to Aeka in a way besides crying, burping up on her, or peeing on her. And just when she was getting some confidence in herself about it, Ryoko had to come in and make that mommy crack. She grit her teeth, and sighed a moment later.  
  
It was true. For all intents and purposes, Ryoko was Mayuka's mother, and Aeka couldn't change that. Nor did she really want to. She didn't want Mayuka to love her more than Ryoko, she just wanted Mayuka to love her, period.  
  
"AEKA!"  
  
Aeka blinked out of her daze and turned to find Sasami rushing up to her, a bucket of carrots in her hand. Aeka wondered what her rush was about and turned to find the sauce she was supposed to be stirring had turned black, smoke was beginning to float from the pan.  
  
"Ack!"  
  
Sasami gently pushed her out of the way and tried to save the sauce, but it was no use. Three hours of work were down the drain. She sighed.  
  
"Sasami...I'm so sorry...I..."  
  
Sasami's head drooped. "Forget it, Aeka. It's okay," she said dejectedly. "I need to clean up and start something else for dinner, okay?"  
  
Aeka nodded, catching the hint. She started for the door. "Sasami," she said guiltily. "I really am sorry."  
  
"I know," Sasami told her.  
  
Aeka left the kitchen and sighed. She had been so wrapped up in her own problems, she had spoiled the dinner Sasami had been making. This was turning into a really bad day.  
  
Sasami sighed as she walked down the hall aimlessly. Yesterday's dinner had been a disaster. She had promised Grandpa Yosho a dinner just like his wife used to make. Finding the old recipe book had been a great discovery, and the smile Katsuhito had given her when she told him she was going to make his favorite dish had made rummaging through the dusty old attic worth it.  
  
Then she had to go and ruin it.  
  
Grandpa had been disappointed, but hid it well. Even so, Sasami could tell. She had promised to make it again tonight to make up for it, and he said it was okay.  
  
If only Aeka hadn't ruined that sauce. It was Sasami's own fault, she guessed. She was so enthralled with her own thoughts that she didn't notice Mihoshi until she bumped into her.  
  
"Oh, hi Mihoshi."  
  
"Hi, Sasami!" Mihoshi replied over a rather large bouquet of roses. There must have been at least three dozen long stem roses in a decorative bouquet. Mihoshi had to crane her neck to see over the top of them.  
  
Sasami grinned. "Did some boy send you flowers, Mihoshi?"  
  
"Huh?" Mihoshi asked trying to look down at Sasami over the tops of the red flowers. "No, these are for Kiyone. I thought it'd be a nice way to apologize for..." Mihoshi sniffled. "FOR NEARLY MURDERING MY BEST FRIEND IN THE UNIVERSE!" Mihoshi began to cry.  
  
Sasami sweat dropped. "Um...Mihoshi? Are you okay?"  
  
Mihoshi sniffled. "Yeah, I'm o....." She broke down and began to cry again.  
  
Sasami rushed up and took Mihoshi's hand. "Why don't you go wash up and lie down, Mihoshi. I'll take the roses to Kiyone, okay?"  
  
Mihoshi blinked and smiled. "You will?! Oh, Sasami, that's so nice!"  
  
"Um...Sure."  
  
Mihoshi placed the bouquet in the girl's hands. "Thank you, Sasami!" The blonde turned and started for the bathroom.  
  
Sasami sighed and turned, intent on heading toward Kiyone's room, where the GP was still recovering. After two steps she stopped.  
  
She looked down at the roses....and grinned.  
  
No, that's too evil! The sweet, innocent part of Sasami's mind told her.  
  
Why yes. Yes, it is, the evil, mischievous side replied.  
  
Sasami brought the flowers into the living room and found a pencil. She looked through the bouquet until she found the card that came with it. Luckily, Mihoshi hadn't written anything on it, so Sasami wouldn't have to worry about erasing anything. She tapped the pencil's eraser against her teeth and hmm'd in thought...  
  
She smiled again and began to write.  
  
"To my dearest Ryoko," she said as she wrote. "My one true love...in the universe." She giggled. "With all my heart.....Tenchi." She giggled again and replaced the card. "Oh, man! Aeka's gonna *flip*!"  
  
She placed the flowers on the living room table and went to the stairs. "Aeka!" she called. "Could you help me in the kitchen!?"  
  
"Sure, Sasami! I'll be right down!"  
  
Sasami smiled and ran to the kitchen door. Hiding behind the door, she looked through the crack, which gave her a good view of the living room. She held her hand over her mouth to stifle a laugh and waited.  
  
She could see it now. Aeka would come downstairs, see the flowers, read the card....  
  
The Earthers had a word that could describe what would happen next perfectly. Amazingly enough, Jurai didn't have a word like this, and yet it seemed to fit such situations perfectly.  
  
"Kaboom," Sasami whispered.  
  
She closed her mouth as she saw Aeka descend the stairs.  
  
"Sasami?" she called out. The First Princess started for the kitchen, but stopped when she saw the roses. She smiled. "Oh, Lord Tenchi! How sweet of you!"  
  
Sasami stifled a giggle. Right on schedule.  
  
Aeka picked up the bouquet and smelled the roses. Sasami watched excitedly as Aeka plucked the card from the bouquet and opened it.  
  
"Five," Sasami whispered, "Four...three....two....one..."  
  
Sasami put her fingers in her ears and shut her eyes in expectation of the explosion. She stood that way for almost a minute...  
  
Nothing happened.  
  
The blue haired princess opened one eye, then the other and blinked. "Huh?" She looked through the crack again.  
  
Aeka was standing there, staring at the card. She wasn't moving. Sasami wasn't even sure she was breathing. After another moment, Aeka replaced the card in the bouquet and gently placed the flowers back on the table. She turned and walked quietly out of the room. Sasami heard the front door open and shut as the princess left the house.  
  
Sasami blinked.  
  
Did....Did I go too far?  
  
Aeka walked.  
  
She didn't have a set destination in mind. It was if she was no longer in control. Her feet started moving and she just went along for the ride. She didn't see the frozen ice covering the lake as she walked past it. She didn't see the tall, beautiful trees as she walked through the nearby forest. She didn't notice how much her feet hurt after climbing the steep steps to the Masaki Shrine, or how cold she felt without a coat on.  
  
She didn't see Katsuhito wave to her from the Shrine door as she walked by. She didn't see the beautiful landscape around her as she finally stopped.  
  
She was standing on a grassy plateau, the mountains surrounded her. There was no snow here for some reason. She could see the lake and house below. It was quiet, peaceful, without even the chirping crickets to break the silence.  
  
Aeka stood there for a good five minutes, took a deep breath...  
  
And screamed at the top of her lungs.  
  
The echo of her scream carried through the valley below her. Aeka stopped and took another breath. The same legs that had carried her here fell out from under her. Aeka fell to the ground, landing on her rear. She didn't seem to notice.  
  
She looked down when she noticed moisture beginning to acrue on her lap. She blinked and watched as another tear fell. Upon realizing she was weeping, she pulled her knees to her chest and buried her face in her knees, crying uncontrollably.  
  
She sat there crying for almost two hours with only the sounds of the wind to comfort her. She took another breath and looked up, wiping the tears from her eyes. She had to keep her wits about her. She was the First Princess of Jurai, dammit! She had to remain composed. She could endure this. She would endure this. She had to.  
  
She lost.  
  
That thought caused fresh tears to well up.  
  
I shouldn't be so surprised, she thought. I've known it was going to happen for a long time. I could see this coming...  
  
Well...it finally has. For the first time she shivered as she noticed the cold biting into her.  
  
So what? she asked. What does it matter? I already feel cold.  
  
Cold.  
  
That was how she could describe it.  
  
She felt cold.  
  
Cold...The absence of warmth. That's what she felt. The absence of Tenchi's love.  
  
Cold.  
  
She looked at the house below. She knew what she had to do.  
  
She stood up and took a breath, the tears refused to freeze to her face. She'd wait until night fall, then go back to the house.  
  
Tsunami, it's so cold, she thought, rubbing her arms. She thought about going back and getting her coat, but dismissed it. She didn't want to see any of them. And even if she did get her coat...  
  
It wouldn't keep out the cold.  
  
She stood there looking down at the valley below.  
  
Baby Mayuka squirmed as she woke up. Someone was picking her up out of her crib. She began to cry but stopped. She recognized the woman holding her, hugging her to her chest.  
  
"Shhhh," Aeka whispered, rocking Mayuka. The lights were out. She stood in the baby's room alone, hugging the child. "Shhh, little princess," she whispered. "I didn't mean to wake you up. I...I just couldn't leave without saying goodbye."  
  
Mayuka stopped squirming and was back to sleep in seconds.  
  
Aeka rocked her. "You're going to grow up to be a beautiful princess, Mayuka," she whispered to the baby. "You're going to be a kind, compassionate woman. Your father will see to that." Her voice cracked, a tear coursed down her cheek. "I'm so sorry I won't be able to see you grow up, little princess," she whispered, choking slightly as she tried to hold back a sob. "I'm sure Ryoko will make a wonderful mother. You're a very lucky little girl."  
  
She hugged the baby tightly, her eyes were clenched shut. She placed Mayuka back in her crib and placed a blanket over her.  
  
"Good bye, little princess," she whispered. She turned and walked out of the room.  
  
The door slowly, quietly slid open. A lone figure crept into the room and closed the door behind her. The figure seemed to glide up to the man sleeping in the bed near the window.  
  
Aeka looked down at Tenchi's sleeping form and swallowed back grief. She knew it was stupid to come here. She was trying to sneak out without anyone knowing. She planned on calling Sasami from Ryu-Oh later to explain. She didn't think she could face her sister right now.  
  
So what am I doing here? she asked herself. If he wakes up...  
  
It didn't matter. He was too big a part of her life to simply walk away without doing this first. She steeled herself, took a breath, and leaned down over his sleeping form. She paused for a fraction of a second, then continued down until her lips were only an inch from his.  
  
"I love you," she whispered. Then she traveled the extra inch and kissed him.  
  
Tenchi muttered something in his sleep and rolled over. Aeka stood up and wiped a tear away. She started for the door.  
  
"Aeka?"  
  
She gasped and stopped.  
  
"Is that you?"  
  
She took another step towards the door.  
  
"Aeka? Are you okay?"  
  
She stopped again. "Goodbye, Tenchi," she said quietly and took another step.  
  
"Wait a sec!"  
  
Aeka stopped again without really knowing why. "It's better that I go, Tenchi. I...I don't want to get in the way."  
  
"What are you talking about?!"  
  
Aeka swallowed back more tears. "I saw them, Tenchi. I...I already know about you and Ryoko."  
  
Tenchi said nothing for a minute. "Huh?"  
  
"I...I can respect your decision," she told him. "But I can't...I can't stay here. Please take good care of Sasami. I know she loves it here."  
  
"Aeka, what are you talking about?"  
  
Aeka growled under her breath. After all this, he needed her to spell it out to him!? Had he *no* idea at all how she felt about him!? She whirled around on him. "You love Ryoko!" she cried, tears running down her face. "There! I said it! I admitted it! It's too bad Ryoko isn't here! I'm sure she'd just *love* to hear it! To hear her rival admit defeat! Well, here it is! You love Ryoko!"  
  
Tenchi was staring at her in shock, sitting up in his bed. He blinked for a moment. "Where the hell did you get that?" he asked.  
  
She blinked back, unsure for the first time since this afternoon. "What? What do you mean? The roses..."  
  
"What roses?"  
  
"You...You gave Ryoko a bouquet of roses....The card said..."  
  
Tenchi stared dumbly at her.  
  
They stared at each other for another moment before both of them sighed and said the same word simultaneously.  
  
"Sasami..."  
  
Tenchi looked through his sleepy eyes at the emotionally drained woman before him. Aeka had always worried him a little. Well...to be fair, *all* the girls worried him in one way or another, but Aeka scared him by the fact that she had no outlet to open up to. She kept her feelings bottled up until the point where she would burst. "Exploded," was probably a better term to use since that was usually what followed.  
  
"Sit down, Aeka," he told her, sitting up more in bed. He gestured to an empty spot on his bed. Aeka, her head bowed, sat down.  
  
"I feel," she whispered. "So...so...*so*.......stupid right now."  
  
He offered her a gentle smile. "Don't. It's okay, Aeka."  
  
"I can't believe I..." Her hand went to her face, covering it as she tried to hide tears. "To think I almost...That I..."  
  
"Aeka," he said, "It's all right. You know how Sasami is."  
  
"Yes," she said quietly. "But for her to do something so...so...monumentally cruel? I nearly left Earth over this, Tenchi."  
  
"I'm going to have a talk with her," Tenchi told her. "Usually her pranks are harmless, but this...this crossed the line."  
  
"Please don't, Tenchi," Aeka quietly begged him. "She doesn't know how far this went. I don't want anyone to know how far this went."  
  
He studied her for a long moment, then nodded. "Aeka...would you like to talk?"  
  
She looked at him hopefully for a moment, then shook her head. "No, Lord Tenchi, I'm fine," she told him, retreating back behind a wall of ceremony. "And I've disturbed you long enou..."  
  
"Stop that," he hissed.  
  
Aeka practically jumped in surprise.  
  
"I don't understand why you always have to do that," he told her. "Things get too tough, and you go back to being Aeka, First Princess of Jurai. You hide behind that crown as if it can somehow protect you from life. Well, it can't, Aeka. You can't run from it, you can only face it and try to work through it."  
  
Aeka stared at him in shock. "It's who I am, Tenchi," she told him, almost painfully. "The crown doesn't protect me, I need to protect *it*!"  
  
Without thinking, Tenchi suddenly acted. Reaching out, he grabbed hold of Aeka's headband and pulled it from her head. Aeka gasped in utter astonishment as he took it and placed it under his pillow.  
  
He turned back to see her staring at him, wide-eyed. "What princess?" he asked quietly. "I don't see a princess here. I see Aeka Jurai, a woman I consider to be one of the closest friends I've ever had." He paused. "And that's never going to change...ever."  
  
She stared at him some more, her eyes moist with tears. "What should I talk about?" she whispered.  
  
"Whatever you want," Tenchi told her. Aeka seemed unsure of what to say. "How about this?" Tenchi began, unwilling to lose what progress he had already made. "I'm going to go downstairs and make us some tea. You stay here and think of something to talk about. Anything at all. Jurai, Sasami, your mother, the weather...whatever you *want* to talk about, and when I come back, you and I will talk, okay?"  
  
Aeka just nodded. Tenchi stood up and left the room, leaving Aeka to think.  
  
Aeka stared at the pillow that was hiding her crown. For some reason her head felt lighter without it. Her spirit felt lighter.  
  
What can I talk about with him? she asked herself.  
  
Odd, but she couldn't think of anything. She was suddenly clueless as to what to say to him.  
  
"Talk about anything," he had said.  
  
That was the problem. She didn't have the liberty to just talk about anything. She was bound by certain etiquette and protocol.  
  
I have to talk about something, she thought.  
  
She continued to think.  
  
Tenchi picked up the tray and walked up the stairs again. He hoped that Aeka would be able to vent a little. Even if she didn't, it would be nice just to *talk* to her. He knew so little about Aeka. The only time they had really been able to talk was during that rain storm in the cabin after they had first met. Since then, she had kept reserved.  
  
He reentered his room and found her sitting in the same spot where he had left her. He placed the tray on the nightstand and offered her a cup of tea.  
  
"Thank you," she said woodenly, accepting it.  
  
"So," he began.  
  
"So," she repeated.  
  
That sat there in silence for a moment. Tenchi decided to break that silence. "Sasami has been asking me if it would be okay if she started going to school here."  
  
Aeka blinked in surprise. "She hasn't said anything to me about that."  
  
Tenchi shrugged. "Maybe she's not sure you'd agree."  
  
"I'd agree wholeheartedly!" Aeka told him.  
  
"You would?" Tenchi asked, a little surprised.  
  
Aeka shifted her position, bringing her legs up and under her so she was completely on the bed. "Of course. I'd love for Sasami to have that kind of opportunity."  
  
"I would've thought you'd look down on an Earth education," Tenchi told her with a nervous smile.  
  
"Well...I do," she told him. "No offense."  
  
"None taken."  
  
"But I would like for Sasami to be in a place where she could be with people her own age. Make friends and have some fun." Her voice turned a little sad.  
  
"You didn't get that opportunity, did you?" Tenchi said.  
  
She looked up at him and smiled. "No," she told him finally. "I was taught by the finest tutors in the Empire. I could recite volumes of the greatest poets in Jurain history. My math's a little rusty, but there was a time when I could plot hyperspace vectors in my head." Her voice turned sad. "But I learned all of that in a dusty room alone."  
  
Now that was something he had never known about Aeka. "What about friends?" he asked.  
  
She sighed. "Friends came in two forms, Tenchi," she told him. "There were my 'official' friends, fellow noblewomen my own age who I talked with occasionally. And there were the maids and butlers who were kind to me, but were also...frightened...of me."  
  
Tenchi didn't know what to say.  
  
"But I did have fun," she told him quickly. "I don't want to sound as if I was miserable. I traveled a lot with my mother. I saw a lot of wonderful things."  
  
"Like what?"  
  
"Well, there was this we went to the Arinai Mountains on Belegast. They were absolutely beautiful, Tenchi..."  
  
As the night progressed, the two talked, mostly of inconsequential things. Tenchi listened raptly as Aeka told him about the things she saw during her search for his grandfather. Aeka listened as he talked about, what he felt was, the irrelevant details of his childhood. Aeka, he found, was more relaxed after a few hours, smiling and giggling at his stories. Tenchi blinked as something occurred to him.  
  
He was enjoying himself.  
  
Tenchi yawned and looked at the clock. "Four A.M.!? Jeez!"  
  
"Oh my," Aeka agreed. "It is rather late." She stood up. "I really should go." She faced him. "Tenchi...I had a wonderful time tonight. Thank you so much. I really needed this."  
  
Tenchi smiled. "I enjoyed it too."  
  
Ask to see her again, a voice in Tenchi's head prompted. Tenchi blinked at the suggestion. Not at the suggestion itself, but in the sound of the voice in his head.  
  
Aeka must have seen his discomfort. "Tenchi? Are you okay?"  
  
He blinked and faced her. "I'm fine. Just a little tired. Aeka...would you like to do this again some time?"  
  
She looked at him in shock. "Um...Yes, of course I would!"  
  
He nodded. "Good night, Aeka."  
  
"Good night, Tenchi."  
  
"Oh, wait!" he said suddenly. He reached under his pillow and removed her headband. "You almost forgot this."  
  
She took the crown from him and smiled. "Thank you, Tenchi. Good night." With that, she left, feeling happier than she had for a long time.  
  
Tenchi watched the door shut behind her and smiled. He was glad that he had asked her to do this again. It probably would never had occurred to him if he hadn't heard that suggestion, the one in the voice that was not his own. It was probably just fatigue. He was tired. Or maybe it was something else. Either way...  
  
"Thanks, Mom," he whispered.  
  
Aeka yawned as she sat at the kitchen table. She drank another sip of tea and smiled. For some reason, she felt giddy. She couldn't really explain it, but she was practically floating.  
  
Wait, she *could* explain it.  
  
Tenchi.  
  
Last night, she had finally made a real connection with him.  
  
Her smile intensified and she sighed happily.  
  
"Aeka?"  
  
She turned to her right and saw a very concerned-looking Sasami standing there, her hands clasped in front of her and her head bowed low.  
  
"Sasami? Are you okay?"  
  
"I just wanted to say...that I'm really sorry. About yesterday, I mean."  
  
Aeka remembered Sasami's prank and felt anger well up in her, but then she remembered that Sasami didn't mean it, and what had happened because of that prank.  
  
"It's okay, Sasami."  
  
Sasami blinked. "It is?"  
  
Aeka nodded. "I know you didn't mean it, and I guess I had it coming after ruining your dinner..."  
  
"No! No, Aeka! You didn't deserve it! I was just so angry! I wasn't thinking! I'm sorry!"  
  
Aeka smiled and held her arms out. Sasami rushed up and hugged her older sister. "It's okay, Sasami. I forgive you. It's okay."  
  
"Really?" Sasami whimpered.  
  
"Yes, really," Aeka told her with a smile. She stroked Sasami's hair and let the young princess hug her. "Now, then, don't you have plans for today. You're going to be late."  
  
Sasami blinked and smiled. "Yeah! Tenchi and Noboyuki are going to take me and Mayuka to the mall today to go Christmas shopping!"  
  
"Well, you should go get ready," Aeka told her with a smile.  
  
"Sister, come with us! Please!?"  
  
Aeka smiled then nodded. "Alright."  
  
"Great! It can be a family thing! Ryoko's already coming! And now if I can get Mihoshi to come..."  
  
"Mihoshi probably wants to stay and help Kiyone," Aeka pointed out.  
  
Sasami's face fell. "Well, there's still us!"  
  
Aeka nodded.  
  
"You'd better get ready!" Sasami told her.  
  
"What do you mean?"  
  
"You can't go to the mall dressed like a princess, Aeka!"  
  
Aeka blinked. "Well, why not?"  
  
Sasami sighed in frustration. "Come with me," she said, taking her sisters hand and leading her upstairs. 


End file.
